Keyboard for monotype perforating-machines.



No. 835,993. PATENTED NOV. 13, 1.906. A. J. WADSWORTH. KEYBOARD POR MONOTYPE PERFORATING MACHINES.

A APPLIUATION FILED JULY 14, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'ffm/@mw ATTORNEYS PATENTED Nov; 13, 1906.

A. J. WADSWORTH. KEYBOARD FOR MONOTYPE PERPORATING MACHINES.

. APPLIOATIONFILED JULY14. 190e. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 ATTORNEYS W/TNESSES,

ARTHURl J.WADSWORTH, OF WASHINGTON. DISTRICT-"OF COLUMBIA,

ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FREUERICK W. -ll\T(u`r'.I`ON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BAXTER, OF WASH- KEYBOARD FOR MONOTYPE PEFlFORATlNG-MACHINES.

To all whom L may concern: f

Be it known. that I, ARTHUR J. WADs- WORTH, a citizen of the United States, residi'ng at Washington city, in the District of Columbia, have invented a newv and useful Improvement in Keyboard for Monotype Performing-Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention is in the nature of an improved keyboard for'monotype perforatingmachines of the general character set'forth in the patent to T. Lanston, No. 654,115, July 17, 1900.

his machine is designed to produce'perforated record-strips or controllers Which are subsequently used to govern other mechanism, such as type-making machinery in the production of printing-type. f

In the monotype-keyboard the work of the operator on the keys-is transmitted pneumatically to punches making perforations in a ribbon of paper feeding automaticallv through the machine from a continuous rol The bank of keys is so constructed that the i lunger of each Lkey constitutes a valve. hen any key 1s depressed, its plunger Y passes downwardly through a casing into a compressed-air chamber.

are formed dpassage-ways, one for each longi- Within the casing tudinal an one for each transvers-erow-'of keys, and they are so arranged that a keyplunger vpasses through the casing at each mtersectlon of a verticalv and a horizontal 'passage-way. The key-plunger is ada ted whendepressed to receive com resse air from the "said alr-chamber and de 1ver'1t into the two passa e-w'a s at the mtersection of :which itstan s, W ence. it passes through ipes to the punch-operating.mechanism. fach longitudinal row of keys has a corresponding punch, and a punch is likewise pro` vided for each transverse row, andthe depression of any key will therefore operate the two punches representing.respectively,` the longitudinal row and the transverserow in which it stands.A The relative positions of thetwo perforations made by the simultaneous operation of the two punches determines the letter tircharacter .tofbe made when the paper ribbon is subsequently fed through the type-castingi machine.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application tiled July 14. 1906. `,Serial No. 326,260.

' tion, of the proximate free en Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

My invention relates to the `keyboard of this machine, and has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of the pneumatic features, to render the touch more sensitive, and reduce liability to derangement, as well as to give more convenient access to the parts. To this end I make the com ressed-air chamber in the form of a marginal trunk entirely .outside the bank o'f keys and surrounding the same on three sides, arrange the valves in this trunk, Vand operate them by two series of rock-shafts, one crossing the other at right angles and each rock-shaft being provided with a seriesy of crank-arms, the crank-arms of the rock-4 marginal compressed-air trunk and transmit two pneumatic blasts throngl suitable pipes to two corresponding punc tons,4 all as hereinafter more-fully described -operat'ing pis- I with reference to the drawings, vin Whichi Figure 1 is a plan View omy keyboardbase, the keys and upper parts being re- 2 is a side view, partly in seceyboard. Fig. 3 is aperspective Yiew of one corner of the marginal compresssd-air trunk, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the connection between the compressed-air trunk of the keyboard .and one of the punch-operating pistons. Fig, 5 is a sectional detail showing a moved. Fi

modiiied form of the pneumatic valve.

In the drawings, Fig. 2, C represents the keys, which lrise in succession away from the position of the operator like the keys of a type-writer. Thel keys4 bear upon their youter faces the letters and characters which they re resent, and the posts of the keys descend At plate D.

Each key-post'has on its lower end a c, 3,- that rests upon the s tonl ordis f h 1 i of a. air o rig t-angu' ar crank-arms a and b, hired i seriesof rock-shafts.. The positiQDSQf, these oughand are guided by a deck-l r oo' toa corresponding key-buttons in relation to the crank-arms are indicated by the dotted circles in Fig. 1-, where the two series of crank-arms a and b may be seen projecting toward each other.

A A A, &c., represent a series of parallel rock-shafts, each of whichbears a series of crank-arms c a a, rigidly connected to it.

B B B, &c., represent a series of parallel rock-shafts lying in a plane beneathl the rockshafts A and crossing the same at right angles. Each rock-shaft B has also a seriesof crank-arms t b b, which are bent up slightly at their 4free ends, as seen in Fig. 2, so as to lie in the same horizontal plane with the crank-armsl a of the other series of rockshafts. The free ends of the two crankarms a and b of each pair approach 'each otherso closely as to nearly intersect and allow their outer ends to lie beneath the same key-button c of a key, as seen in Fig. 3, so that when any key is depressed it will act both upon the arm a and arm b of any pair and so rock the two shafts A and B, to which they are respectively attached.

The outer ends of the rock-shafts A and B are journaled in a marginal frame T T T2, i

which. surrounds the bank of keys-on three sides and lies outside of the same, as seen in Fig. 1 on its upper side to form an air-trunk in which is maintained constantly a supply of compressed air by means not necessary to'be described. The top t of this trunk is remov-l able tor the purpose hereinafter described. Through the bottom. of this trunk-frame are formed a series of holes o, Fig. 4, each of which communicates with one end of a passage-way or pipe E, leading to a small cylinder F, in which plays a piston e, which is raised and lowered by ablast of air and which piston in its movement actuates one of the punches which perorates the paper record-strip. Only one of these connections is shown in Fig. 4; but it will be'understood that there is one for each rock-shaft in both of the series.

At the point where'each rock-shaft enters the air-trunk it is provided with a rigidlyconnected flap-valve o or fv, which rests above and closes the top of the air-passage o andis held tightly down thereupon by pneu- When, however, the rock-- matic pressure. shaft is rocked by a depression of a key, this flap-valve is raised and the compressed air in the .trunk T T T2 passes down through the outlet 0 and acting through'the pipe E lifts the piston e and rock-shafts are simultaneous y rocked by the depression of any key intersecting va pair of crank-arms brand b it will be remembered that two punches are simultaneousl ated to perforate the paper stri in t e predetermined way to indicate t e letter or character to be punched, the relative" posi- This marginalframe is m'ade hollow with'both series of operates a punch. As twov oper- 3, and 4,*.as this makes a quick it without the need of springs. I haveV shown, however, coil-springs s on' the rockshafts, which may be of value in several ways. Thus, for instance, in Fig. 5 I show instead of a flap-valve a rotary plug-valveoz, turningin a seat in the trunk, and with this form of valve where the air-pressure will not eiiiect .the closing the spring 'would be essential. The springs,

more tightly closed or the spring might be arranged withthe Hap-valve, so as to partially antagonize theair-pressuraand thus permit me to use 4a high pressure of air for punches and yet enable the` .I keys to open the flap with a light and sensioperating the moreover, y 4may be of l value with the flap-'valve either to hold them tive touch. .I therefore do not confine myv invention to the' particular construction and arrangement shown and described either of.

the valves or the Aother parts of my keyboard, as they may be varied in many rspects Without departing from my invention as expressed in the claims.

'As shown, two side .trunks T T2 are used for the B series of rock-shafts. This is merely to enable me to more wideljyf'separate the valves v', and thus get more room to make the necessary connections for the airpipes below, for by putting the side valves alternatel sides may be more widely separated.`

rock-shafts 'and that this alternation 'of valves and wider spacing may be employed.

rock-shafts.

B2, the thrust of but one key in the lower row, this being known 'to B is a dumm h B h rock-shaft' in alinement wit 2 and w ic shaft B opens no valve,

but is merely employed to bring to certain of X the'lower keys the same resistance as'the' others, so as to 'give a uniform touch.

By trunk of keys Athere is a great simplification and at opposite ends of the rock-- shafts B t e valves on the two It is obviousthat l all the valves'may be at the same ends of the Fig. 1, is a short rock-shaft receii'ringy those conversant with. the machine as the Hjustifying-"space key.

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placing the valves v v. inl the'marg'inai outside the vertical range of the ,bank

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cheapening ofthe keyboard, and as the top i I ofthe trunk is removable access to the valves for cleaning and repairs is always easily and quickly eHected.A

Although I have shown and described my keyboard as designed for the monotype perforating-machine, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine it to this use, but `may employ it generally Wherever a manually# operated keyboardmay be employed for a selective action.

I claiml 1. A pneumatic'keyboard, comprising a series of depressible keys, a series io'subjacent and parallel rock-shafts operated upon by the keys, an air-trunk arranged outside of the bank of keys, and yalves in the trunk connected to and operated* by the rockshafts.

2. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising a series of depressible keys, two series ofsubjacent rock-shafts arranged crosswise in relation to each other, a'rockshaft of each series being arranged to be operated upon by each key, a marginal air-trunk arrangedoutside the bank of keys and valves in the airtrunk connected to and operated by the'rockshafts. -J

.3. A pneumatic keyboard, comprlsing a series of depressible keys, a series of subjacent and parallel rock-'shafts having. crankarms arranged beneath the keys, anair- 'trunk arranged outside the bank of keys and valves arranged in 'the trunk connected to and operated by the rock-shafts.

4. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising a series of depressible keys, two 'series 'of Subj acent rock-shafts arranged ci'osswise in rela tion to each other, the rock-shafts of the two series having crank-arms, With the crank# arms of one series extending to proximity With the crank-arms 'of the other series at points Withinl range of simultaneous action thereupon by the ke s, a marginal air-trunk arranged outside t e bank of keys, and

v valves in the trunk connected to and operated upon by the rock-shafts.

5. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising tWo crossed series of rock-shafts With valves operated thereby, and a bank of keys superlposed over the rock-shafts,l each key being arranged to operate upon a. rock-shaft of each'series. l

6. A pneumatic bank off keys anda vmarginal.air-trunk outside the vertical range of the bank of keys, valves in the air-trunk and means for operating them by the keys.

7. A pneumatic-keyboard, comprisinga series of depressible keys, a series of sub'acent parallel rock-shafts operated upon 'y b ,selectively ,operating a keyboard, comprising the keys, an airLtrunl/g arranged outside the bank of keys and having a plurality of outlets and valves iixed to the rock-shafts and controlling said outlets.

8. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising a` series of de pressible keys, a series of subjac entparailel rock-shafts operated upon by the keys," an air-trunk arranged outside the .bank-of keys, valves arranged in the trunk and operated by the rock-shafts, and springs for turning the rock-shats..

9. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising a series of depressible keys, a series of subjacent parallel rock-shaftsoperated upon by `the keys, an air-trunk arranged alon the margin of and outside the bank of eys, valves arranged in the air-trunk, and a detachable cover for the trunk.

10. A pneumatic keyboard, comprising a series of depressible keys, a series of subja-'. ycent and parallel rock-shafts operated upon by the keys, a 'marginal Acompressed air trunk With valves operated b the rockshafts, the valves being arrange atl opposite ends of the alternating rock-shafts.

11. In a key-actuated mechanism, a bank of keys and subjacent rock-shafts each having a plurality of lateral arms adapted to rethe other series, said shafts being'ada ted to actuate movable parts contiguous t ereto.

' 14. In pneumatic keyboard,.the combi-- nation of a valve, a series of keys, and means connectin said valve with said keys Where- ARTHUR' J. WADsWoRTH. Witnesses FREDERICK W. BAXTER,

SoLoN C. KEMON.

' by the va ve may be operated by any key'nf the series.

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